Page 14 of Bearly Bewitched

The rich aroma of Harry’s signature spiced mead filled the Arcane Brewpub, mingling with woodsmoke from the hearth and the sharp bite of magical herbs drying in bundles along the rafters.

Kaine barely registered any of it, his thoughts stuck on the moment at the academy library when Vail had tumbled into his arms. His bear kept replaying how her fire magic had danced against his skin, warm and somehow familiar, like coming home after a long journey.

The memory of her scent - cinnamon with an undertone of charr - haunted him, making his bear pace restlessly beneath his skin. Every instinct screamed mate, and the urge to seek her out, to claim what his bear already recognized as theirs, was nearly overwhelming.

“And then Burke decided to become a ballet dancer and join the circus,” Xabir said dryly.

“Mm-hmm,” Kaine murmured, still staring into his untouched whiskey.

“See?” Rook gestured at Kaine’s complete lack of reaction. “He’s been like this for twenty minutes. Something happened at the academy today.”

The ancient wooden booth creaked as Ren leaned forward, golden eyes gleaming with uncharacteristic interest. “The bear’s practically purring.”

That finally snapped Kaine’s attention back to his friends. He found four sets of eyes studying him with varying degrees of amusement – from Burke’s open grin to Ren’s subtle smirk.

Harry appeared at their table, setting down a fresh round of drinks. “Did someone finally crack our stoic alpha’s armor? About time. The betting pool was getting ridiculous.”

“There’s a betting pool?” Kaine growled.

Harry patted his shoulder. “There are several. My money’s on you finding your mate before winter.” He winked and sauntered back to the bar, leaving Kaine to face his friends’ intensifying curiosity.

“Spill it,” Burke commanded, then quickly added, “Please, Alpha,” at Kaine’s glare.

The whiskey burned pleasantly as Kaine took a long swallow. “I delivered that desk organizer to the academy today. Had a brief interaction with the new headmistress.”

“Brief interaction?” Xabir’s eyebrows shot up. “Must have been some interaction to have you this knocked sideways.”

“She fell.” The words escaped before he could stop them. “She was on this ancient ladder in the library, reaching for something. I caught her before she hit the ground, and the instant our magic connected...” He trailed off, remembering how right it had felt, how his bear had surged forward in recognition.

“And?” Burke prompted, clearly enjoying this rare moment of his alpha being flustered.

“And nothing. She’s the headmistress. She’s focused on reforming the academy, not?—“

“Your bear recognized her,” Ren interrupted, his centuries of observation making him annoyingly perceptive. “As a mate.”

The table fell silent. Even in their supernatural community, finding a true mate was rare enough to command respect. The ancient magic that created such bonds was both precious and slightly terrifying in its permanence.

“Well, damn.” Rook whistled low. “Vail Kessler, huh? She’s definitely got the backbone to handle you.”

“I’ve known her for years,” Xabir added, signaling Harry for another round. “Sharp mind, zero tolerance for nonsense, and a wicked sense of humor when you least expect it. Remember that time at the Moonlight Market when some drunk warlock tried to hit on Romi?”

Burke snorted into his beer. “And Vail transfigured his fancy robes into a tutu? Classic.”

“That was an accident,” Rook corrected, grinning. “She meant to turn him into a toad. The tutu was just a happy mishap.”

“Plus, she’s pretty,” Burke supplied, then quickly raised his hands at Kaine’s warning growl. “Hey, just stating facts. Though I should mention she’s also terrifying when angry. Did you hear about the time she set her ex-fiancé’s pretentious sports car on fire?”

Rook laughed. “I heard she did accidentally turn his entire wardrobe pink during an argument.”

“That was Romi,” Xabir corrected. “Vail just refused to fix it.”

Kaine’s bear preened at each new detail, especially the part about her standing up to her ex. He’d sensed that steel core beneath her warm exterior, and it only increased his attraction.

“You’re going to the academy’s open house tomorrow, right?” Ren’s question cut through the others’ banter.

“Have to. Daisy’s been talking about it nonstop since she got the flyer.”

“Perfect opportunity to see if there’s mutual interest,” Burke said, then choked on his beer at Kaine’s glare. “What? Someonehas to state the obvious since you’ll probably spend the next month brooding about proper protocol.”

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